delta(1) General Commands Manual delta(1)
Name
delta - create new SCCS delta to save changes
Syntax
delta [-rSID] [-s] [-n] [-glist] [-m[mrlist]] [-y[comment]] [-p] files
Description
The command is used to permanently introduce into the named SCCS file changes that were made to the file retrieved by (called the g-file,
or generated file).
The command makes a delta to each named SCCS file. If a directory is named, behaves as though each file in the directory were specified as
a named file, except that non-SCCS files (last component of the path name does not begin with s.) and unreadable files are silently
ignored. If a name of - is given, the standard input is read (see RESTRICTIONS); each line of the standard input is taken to be the name
of an SCCS file to be processed.
The command may issue prompts on the standard output depending upon certain keyletters specified and flags that may be present in the SCCS
file. For further information, see -m and -y keyletters below and
The includes commentary, input by the user, that consists of one or more lines, terminated by a period (.) in column one of a new line.
Keyletter arguments apply independently to each named file.
Options
Keyletter arguments:
-glist Ignores specified list of deltas.
-m[mrlist] Indicates the modification request number. (-m[mrlist]).
If -m is not used and the standard input is a terminal, the prompt MRs? is issued on the standard output before the
standard input is read; if the standard input is not a terminal, no prompt is issued. The MRs? prompt always precedes
the comments? prompt (see -y keyletter).
MRs in a list are separated by blanks and/or tab characters. An unescaped new-line character terminates the MR list.
Note that if the v flag has a value it is taken to be the name of a program (or shell procedure) which will validate
the correctness of the MR numbers. For further information, see If a non-zero exit status is returned from MR number
validation program, terminates (it is assumed that the MR numbers were not all valid).
-n Does not delete edited file.
-p Displays differences before and after delta is applied.
-rSID Identifies which delta is to be made to the SCCS file. Use this keyletter only if two or more outstanding gets for
editing (get -e) on the same SCCS file has been done by the same person (login name). The SID value specified with the
-r keyletter can be either the SID specified on the command line or the SID to be made as reported by the command. For
further information, see A diagnostic results if the specified SID is ambiguous, or, if necessary and omitted on the
command line.
-s Suppresses all messages.
-y[comment] Creates delta with specified commentary. text A null string is considered a valid comment.
If -y is not specified and the standard input is a terminal, the prompt comments? is issued on the standard output
before the standard input is read; if the standard input is not a terminal, no prompt is issued. A period (.) in col-
umn one of a newline terminates the comment text.
Restrictions
Lines beginning with an SOH ASCII character (binary 001) cannot be placed in the SCCS file unless the SOH is escaped. This character has
special meaning to SCCS and will cause an error. For further information, see
A of many SCCS files, followed by a of those files, should be avoided when the generates a large amount of data. Instead, multiple
sequences should be used.
If the standard input (-) is specified on the command line, the -m (if necessary) and -y keyletters must also be present. Omission of
these keyletters causes an error to occur.
Diagnostics
See for explanations.
Files
g-file Existed before the execution of removed after completion of
p-file Existed before the execution of delta; may exist after completion of
q-file Created during the execution of removed after completion of
x-file Created during the execution of renamed to SCCS file after completion of
z-file Created during the execution of removed during the execution of
d-file Created during the execution of removed after completion of
/usr/bin/bdiff Program to compute differences between the ``gotten'' file and the g-file.
See Also
admin(1), bdiff(1), cdc(1), get(1), help(1), prs(1), rmdel(1), sccs(1), sccsfile(5)
Guide to the Source Code Control System
delta(1)